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In this article we will talk about such an important point as opening and conducting a dispute (dispute) on Aliexpress. And we will try to understand the following questions:

In general, let's figure out what needs to be done to win a dispute on Aliexpress and get your money back as quickly as possible.

It's no secret that goods from Aliexpress may not arrive in good condition, with defects that do not correspond to the description, or may not arrive at all, getting lost somewhere along the way. Things happen.

The money for the defective product has already been paid, the seller is in China - what to do?

It is to resolve such situations that the Aliexpress administration introduced such a tool as Dispute or Dispute, call it what you like, it makes no difference.

A dispute with an Aliexpress seller will allow you, firstly, to inform the seller that his product is faulty or has not arrived, and secondly, to demand a refund of the money paid.

In principle, this is the simplest scheme for conducting a dispute on Aliexpress. You told the seller that his product was broken, and he returned your money (or part of the money) for it. And quite often it happens that this is what happens (especially with cheap goods). The seller doesn’t want to waste time arguing with the buyer, and even less does he want to show off to the Aliexpress administration, so he simply offers to return the money for the product in exchange for a good review from you. I think everyone has noticed that 98% of all reviews on Aliexpress are positive, although products with defects are not that uncommon.

The situation is more complicated with more expensive goods or simply stubborn sellers. In such cases, getting your money back can be a headache.

You will first be taken to an order information page. At the very bottom of this page there is another link “Open a dispute”, click on it and start filling out something like a questionnaire. And the first thing you need to indicate is what exactly you want from the seller.

Reasons for opening a dispute on Aliexpress

  1. Problems with product delivery
    • Order protection has already expired, but the parcel is still on the way
    • The transport company returned the order
    • No tracking information
  2. Problems with customs
  3. The seller sent the order to the wrong address

After choosing a suitable reason, all you have to do is write a short comment to the seller and (for now optional) attach a couple of photos or even a video.

What can you demand from the seller in a dispute on Aliexpress?

There is not much choice here, you have only two options:

Refund– you demand that the seller return your money for the goods. You do not want to return the item to the seller. The best option, believe me, is that you do not want to send the goods back to the seller.

Return of goods and money– you want to return the money for the product and are ready to send it back to the seller. Not the best idea - shipping to China costs money, something like $20. Parcels from Russia to China are no faster than from China to Russia. And you will receive your money back only after the goods are returned to the seller.

The situation is a little simpler with sellers who have the so-called « » . Here you need to pay for delivery of the goods only to the seller’s warehouse in Russia (usually Moscow). And the seller will pay the costs of delivering the goods to China himself.

Well, the money will be returned to you as soon as the goods arrive at the warehouse, and not in China.

All sellers have local returns, as well as simple sellers who have the following guarantee:

On the one hand, when returning goods and money, the seller breaks down less and willingly returns the money. On the other hand, you spend money on sending the goods back to the seller and wait a month, or even more, for the package to arrive (and God forbid, something happens to it along the way). Which option to choose is up to you.

What to write to the seller in a dispute?

What should we write in a dispute on Aliexpress? Not much at all. Describe in just a few words what you ordered, what you received, and why you want a refund. Indicate the shortcomings of the product , again without any detailed descriptions: the smartphone won’t turn on, there’s a bad smell coming from the T-shirt, there’s a crack on the screen, the body is scratched, and so on.

There is no need to explain to the seller how upset you are about the poor quality of the product. He does not care.

It’s also worth uploading a couple of photos of low-quality goods . Take close-up photos of scratches or cracks. If your smartphone does not turn on, connect it to the charger and take a photo of nothing happening.

In general, if at the post office you suspect that something is wrong with the parcel (shards are ringing, for example), Can you make an unboxing video? . This is the best variant.

At first, this is more than enough. Open a dispute and wait for the seller's response. Depending on what he answers, we will think about what to do next.

In what language should correspondence be used in a dispute on Aliexpress?

Well, in general, you will receive all messages from Aliexpress and from the seller in English. You can also present your requirements in English. Although there will be no difference if you write in Russian. That you will translate your message in the translator, that the seller, everything is the same.

During subsequent correspondence with the seller, if any, you should refrain from rudeness, swearing and other nonsense. Yes, the seller will press for pity, demand proof, offer his own solutions to the problem, etc.

We remain calm and carefully read everything that the seller writes to us. If he asks for any evidence, we present it. Again, everything is within reasonable limits - a 3-5 minute video, normal quality is enough, no need to shoot blockbusters.

If the seller demands some kind of dancing with a tambourine during this video, which you cannot do, write to him and say that it is not possible to fulfill the request. If anything happens, you can always wait for Aliexpress to intervene, where the requirements for evidence will be more adequate.

If you shed a tear after the seller’s pitiful story about his plight and are already thinking about canceling the dispute, think again about whether you live so well that you would essentially just give the Chinese the Nth amount of money. In addition, if you opened a dispute in the last days of the expiration of the Buyer Protection period, it will no longer be possible to open the dispute again.

Once again, be careful with what the seller offers you. You don't need to take the seller's word for it, ever. Do not close the dispute because of a promise to return money bypassing Aliexpress or some good discounts.

The seller may offer you to repair the product at his own expense and pay the repair amount. Do you need it?

The seller can accept the dispute, but at the same time change its terms - instead of "Refund" put "Return of goods and money". Double-check before agreeing to his offer.

Now let’s talk in more detail about the deadlines for opening a dispute on Aliexpress.

Deadlines for opening and conducting a dispute on Aliexpress

As mentioned above, you can open a dispute on Aliexpress:

Not earlier than 10 days from the date of dispatch of the goods– namely sending, the time of verification and payment processing is not taken into account.

And no later than 15 days from the date of confirmation of receipt of the goods– it doesn’t matter when you received the goods in the mail. The time will start counting only when you confirm receipt of the goods on Aliexpress.

There are cases that Aliexpress does not allow you to open a dispute if the goods are not received. In this case, users receive messages like:

According to our data, your parcel has already arrived in the destination country. Very soon she will go to you! Most parcels are delivered within the timeframe specified by the seller. If you do not receive your package by ****-**-**, please open a dispute and we will help you find a solution.

The message asks you to wait until the deadline for delivery of the goods and only then open a dispute. That is, you only have 15 days left to open. An unpleasant rule, you will agree.

However, there is a small life hack:

  • You need to open a dispute first
  • Disable Internet
  • And then, in the “Did you receive the goods” section, select “No”. In this case, the system, instead of the specified message, will allow you to fill in all other fields.
  • Turn on the Internet and press the “Submit” button

It's still working.

This concerns the timing of opening a dispute. Now let’s look at the deadlines that apply when filing a dispute on Aliexpress.

7 days– this is exactly how much is given to you and the seller to resolve the dispute. The countdown begins from the moment the dispute is opened, regardless of whether the seller accepted it or not.

During these 7 days, you will have interesting or not so interesting correspondence with the seller. As I already said, some sellers, by hook or by crook, will convince you to close the dispute, change the reason, reduce the delivery amount, etc.

After 7 days, the dispute will escalate and the Aliexpress administration will take care of your problem.

5 days– if 5 days have passed since the opening of the dispute, and the seller has not accepted it (he just hammered, did not answer anything), the dispute is automatically closed and your money is returned.

Perhaps the best scenario for the development of events. But this is rare.

15-60 days– this is how long it can take for the Aliexpress administration to consider an aggravated dispute. Don’t be alarmed by the 60-day figure; it’s more like reinsurance in case of particularly difficult situations. Usually everything is reviewed in a couple of weeks, or even faster.

5-15 days– this is how long the process of returning money takes in case of a positive decision from Aliexpress.

Aggravation of the dispute on Aliexpress, perhaps better for you than for the seller. No matter what they say, the administration prefers to side with the buyer. The main thing here is to provide them with all the necessary evidence.

Video on the topic:

Aggravation of the dispute on Aliexpress

The dispute escalates automatically after 7 days from the date of its opening.

How to escalate a dispute on Aliexpress yourself?

No way. There used to be such an option, but now it has been removed. So you will have to wait a week before the dispute escalates.

Involving Aliexpress in a dispute

And now the almighty Aliexpress administration intervened in your dispute. What's next?

The first thing Aliexpress will do is review your evidence provided earlier. In this case, your correspondence with the seller will not be taken into account when resolving the dispute, no matter what you agree on there, no matter what stories you tell each other.

And here is the first important point. If Aliexpress considers your evidence insufficient, and most likely it will be so. You will receive the following message:

Don't be afraid, no one cheated you. This is just a suggested option for now. But in the details of this message you can find interesting information about what evidence you need to provide in order to get your money back.

Usually these are photos and videos. It would seem, why not immediately send all this evidence when opening a dispute?

It’s just that Aliexpress usually has certain requirements for this evidence, for example: you need to take a video where your smartphone is connected to a charger and shows no signs of life, and another device is connected to a nearby outlet and is charging normally.

This is done to make sure that the product is not faulty, and also to eliminate the possibility of falsifying evidence.

Requirements change periodically from case to case. So it’s better to find out exactly what Aliexpress will require from you specifically.

Yes, you are given a specific deadline to provide evidence(usually 3 days), so don't miss it.

Then, for some time, Aliexpress will consider your evidence and make a decision.

There may be several solutions. For example, I got two for a faulty smartphone:

1 solution– partial refund, about 90% of the order value. Apparently they deducted the costs of delivery, gift case, etc. I still have the phone.

2 solution– full refund, but subject to sending the phone back to the seller.

I made the first decision, the seller made the second. A couple of days later, Aliexpress took my side and decided to issue a partial refund.

There may also be an option that the seller himself will agree to return your money.

And there are times when Aliexpress decides not to return anything to you, declares you a fraudster and blocks your account. Yes, this happens too. But this happens mostly with scammers who have open disputes for almost every order. Allegedly all goods are faulty, etc.

In general, Aliexpress’s decision on your dispute depends primarily on your evidence and the seller’s evidence; your reputation with him and the history of previous purchases are also taken into account. If you have had several disputes opened in a relatively short period of time (no matter for what reasons), then problems may arise.

In general, you should not worry about having to open a dispute on Aliexpress. If you are right and they really sent you a low-quality product or didn’t send it at all, you will get your money back without any problems. You just have to spend a little time.

How to change and edit a dispute on Aliexpress

If you made a mistake when indicating the reason for the dispute, or the seller still nagged you to change it, you agreed with the seller on a different refund amount, and in general, if you need to change something or add something to the dispute, you can do it without any problems.

To do this, just press the button "Change" and make the necessary changes.

In fact, you will be asked to fill out the same form again as when opening a dispute.

Specify another reason for the dispute, change the refund amount and confirm.

It is impossible to change an aggravated dispute.

Refund from Aliexpress

We won the argument, when will the money be returned and where?

Everything is simple here. Money from Aliexpress is returned to the details from which you paid for the order. We paid with a bank card, the money will be returned to it, etc.

As for the refund deadlines, they are as follows:

In my case, the money was returned 12 days after the decision was approved by the Aliexpress administration (returned to a Sberbank card)

A dispute on Aliexpress is a form of resolving controversial issues related to the seller’s failure to fulfill its warranty obligations. A dispute can be opened by any buyer who is satisfied with the quality of the goods received or has received a product that does not correspond to the description or order. The buyer opens a dispute, where he indicates his requirements for resolving this issue; if the seller agrees, then he accepts them. But in some situations, the seller provides an alternative solution that is not suitable for the buyer. In this situation, you can reject or challenge the seller’s decision in order to obtain a full or partial refund for low-quality or undelivered goods. The dispute process takes 7 days. During this time, the buyer and seller must come to a common decision. If this does not happen, then the site administration takes part in resolving the dispute. According to the history of the order and the claims made by the buyer, the administration makes a fair decision. You can get an honest decision from the seller without resorting to the help of customer support. We will tell you further about how to reject a seller’s decision on Aliexpress, and what to do if the seller’s decision is not satisfactory.

Buyers have the opportunity to open a dispute in several cases: if the goods are received, but in poor condition, in the wrong size, color, etc., or if the buyer protection period expires, but the goods did not arrive, and any There is no tracking information. To open a dispute, firstly, you should not confirm receipt until the situation is resolved, and secondly, if the product was received defective or the wrong size is indicated on the label, you need to take photos and add them to the evidence. Then, open the “My Orders” section and find in it the product for which a dispute will be opened. In the central block there is a button “Open a dispute”. Then go to the order description page. If the goods have been received, then in the “Possible actions” column, again indicate the “Open dispute” button. If your order has not arrived, please request an extension of the protection period in the “Reminder” column. For orders not delivered on time, the first solution to the dispute will be to extend the protection period, so this saves you time. After the extended buyer protection period has expired, proceed to open a dispute.

In the dispute form, you need to select the action “Return only” - for goods that did not arrive, and you want to return the money for them, and “Return of goods and money” - for orders that arrived in the wrong size and color, and you need them send it back to the seller or receive a partial refund and keep the product. Depending on which solution suits you, select one of the options and specify a button.

Next, you need to fill out a dispute form. At this stage, you can write to the seller personally and say that you are not satisfied with the quality of service, or that a problem has arisen that you must resolve together. This does not mean that a dispute does not need to be opened. On the contrary, all questions about refunds or compensation are resolved exclusively through a dispute. Proceed to filling out the form. Here you need to fill out all the lines and choose the solution that suits you:

  • the expected solution is only a refund;
  • you received the goods - indicate “Yes” or “No”;
  • a problem has arisen (the product does not correspond to the description, quality problems, damaged goods, quantity mismatch, counterfeit, problems with components) - if the product is received;
  • a problem that has arisen (problems with delivery of goods, problems with customs, the seller sent the order to the wrong address) - if the goods have not been received;
    indicate the refund amount - the full or partial cost of the goods, no more than the price of the goods with delivery;
  • describe the problem (precisely indicate the reason for the dispute);
  • upload photo evidence into the Browse window, if available;
  • Click the yellow “Submit” button and the dispute will be sent to the seller for consideration.

If the seller accepts the terms of the dispute, the dispute will be closed and the money will be returned in the amount specified in the dispute. If the seller does not accept the terms immediately, or offers an alternative solution that is less profitable than yours, then the dispute will move to the stage of aggravation. If the dispute escalates, the site administration will intervene to resolve the situation.

There is no button to escalate a dispute on Aliexpress

The “Aggravate the dispute” button at all stages of the dispute was removed by the site administration, since many buyers biasedly assessed the situation and indicated it every time in order to speed up the dispute process, thereby involving the administration. Now this button appears at the end, or does not appear at all. If the button does not appear, then the dispute is escalated automatically if, within 7 days of an open dispute, the buyer and seller do not come to a common decision. The "Aggravate Dispute" button appears only if the seller rejects the dispute request. In this case, the seller hopes that the buyer will accept the terms or point out something wrong somewhere. If the seller offers any alternative solutions or tries to deceive you, do not take any action and expect the dispute to automatically escalate. Be patient, the seller is interested in not sending the case to the site administration for consideration, so he will probably offer some conditions or accept the dispute. Regularly check the dispute management in the “Returns and Disputes” section. The escalation button may appear at any time.

How long does a dispute on Aliexpress last?

After opening a dispute, the request is sent to the seller. It indicates the exact number of days the seller has to accept/reject the dispute. If the seller does not respond, the dispute will be closed automatically after this period. If the seller appeals the dispute, the dispute may drag on. The seller has 5 days to intervene. Then, the buyer and seller have 4 more days to make a mutual decision. If the buyer does not accept the seller’s terms and the seller does not agree with the buyer’s demands, then on the 7th day the administration intervenes in the dispute. Its solution takes 1-2 business days. The maximum period for filing a dispute on Aliexpress is 15 days. If, after opening a dispute, the seller does not respond before the deadline, it will be closed automatically within 5 days.

Dispute accepted by Aliexpress

If during the dispute, the status changes to “Dispute Accepted,” it means the seller agreed to the terms of the dispute. This means that the seller must fulfill the conditions that were specified in the dispute, including the amount of compensation, within 15 days. Usually, sellers accept disputes if they understand that even if the dispute escalates, they still cannot win. If the dispute is opened correctly, all conditions and nuances are indicated, and the amount of compensation is accurately written, then the seller will accept it and fulfill it. Once the dispute is accepted by the seller, it is closed and its status changes to “Refund Pending” or “Dispute Completed”. Regardless of the terms of the dispute, after accepting the dispute, the seller is obliged to return the money in the amount specified in the dispute.

How to win a dispute on Aliexpress?

You can win a dispute on Aliexpress only if the reason for opening it complies with the rules of disputes. That is, if you ordered a jacket, for example, that has size M, and the sleeve length according to the table is 58 cm, but in fact it turned out to be 56 cm, you want to open a dispute, then there is no question of 100% refund. Be objective. The reason for the dispute may be the seller’s mistake, who sent the wrong size, the size does not match the table, and the sleeve instead of 58 cm turned out to be 50 cm. Then yes, it makes sense to open a dispute. Be careful when filling out the dispute form. Specify all parameters that are required. Don't miss a thing. If the item you receive is defective, please take a photo and upload it as proof. If you asked the seller to change the size of an item, and he sent the one that was originally indicated in the order form, then attach a screenshot of the correspondence. In describing the reason for the dispute, describe the problem in detail. If you don't include something, it could cost you money, so be careful when filling out the dispute form. Also, during a dispute, do not accept the seller's terms if you do not agree to them. Cunning sellers may offer an alternative solution, such as a partial refund, knowing that they will lose. If you accept the terms, the dispute will be closed and you will receive only part of the money, along with the entire cost. If the seller does not agree to the dispute, do not withdraw the dispute, but leave it to escalate. All aggravated disputes in which sellers do not participate are closed in favor of buyers.

The seller on Aliexpress asks to change the reason for the dispute

Aliexpress sellers do not have the right to ask to change the reason for the dispute. This is a violation of site policy. If you indicated the reason for the dispute as “the product does not match the description” or “the seller sent the wrong product”, this will affect its rating. The seller wants to avoid a rating decrease, so he may ask to change the real reason for the dispute to one that is less significant for the rating. Do not agree to these terms. If you ask to change the reason for the dispute, then you can lose it. Accordingly, there can be no talk of any compensation. If you change the reason for the dispute, the seller can immediately accept and close it.

The seller does not respond to the dispute on Aliexpress

The form that the buyer fills out for the dispute is sent to the seller, who must respond to it. If the seller does not respond to a dispute on Aliexpress within 5 days, the dispute will be closed automatically, followed by the fulfillment of the dispute requirements. If it is a refund, the money will be returned to the buyer. If the seller does not respond, it means he is not interested in the dispute, so the administration will immediately close the dispute without finding out the reasons for his lack of participation.

How to close a dispute on Aliexpress?

Both the buyer and the seller can close the dispute. To do this, you must indicate “Cancel dispute” or “Cancel dispute” in the dispute history. Canceling the dispute will bring it to an end. If you are not sure you want to complete it, do not specify cancel. If the dispute is cancelled, then the refund request will not be accepted. If you opened a dispute for a refund for an item that did not arrive, but after the expiration of the buyer protection period it still arrived, then canceling the dispute would be fair. In other cases, especially if the seller asks for it, canceling the dispute before it is resolved is not worth it.

How do they return money to Aliexpress after a dispute?

If the solution to the dispute is a refund, then the seller is obliged to return the cost of the goods in full or partially refund the price, as required by the buyer. When the dispute is accepted by the seller or such a decision is made by the administration after an aggravation, the money is returned to the buyer to the account from which it was debited. That is, if you paid for your purchase with a bank card, the money will be credited to it. The return period depends on the type of account:

The seller is obliged to return the money to the buyer no later than 15 days from the date of completion of the dispute. If the seller does not return, you can appeal the dispute again or file a complaint with support.

Dispute closed by seller on Aliexpress

The status “Dispute closed by seller” indicates that the seller independently closed the dispute on Aliexpress. This means that the seller has accepted the conditions specified in the dispute and is obliged to fulfill them. If the dispute is closed by the seller on Aliexpress, then within 15 days he must pay compensation or send a new product, it all depends on the conditions. Typically, in situations where the seller is clearly at fault, disputes are closed within 5 days. Conscientious sellers immediately accept the dispute. If the seller offers you to return the money not through Alipay, but to send it personally to your card, contact the support service, they are trying to deceive you. After the dispute is closed by the seller on Aliexpress, the dispute will be closed.

Repeated dispute on Aliexpress

A repeated dispute is an appeal of a dispute. It can be opened once for an order that has already been involved in a dispute. If the dispute ended with a decision that the seller is obliged to pay compensation or damage, but he did not do so, then within 7 days after the end of the dispute, the buyer can appeal it. An appeal allows you to involve the administration in the dispute so that it takes the necessary measures. A repeated dispute on Aliexpress can be opened in the dispute history. You can appeal a closed dispute only within a week, after which it will be finally completed. and it will be impossible to open a second dispute.

Video: dispute on Aliexpress

Disputing on Aliexpress is quite simple. Any situation in which the seller did not fulfill his warranty obligations or sent a defective product may be the cause of a dispute. If you still have questions about how to dispute on Aliexpress, and how to get the seller to fulfill its terms, we recommend watching the video

Negotiations with the seller when conducting a dispute on Aliexpress do not always lead to the desired result. It often happens that sellers underestimate the amount of compensation or refuse to refund money at all. The Aliexpress administration helps resolve such a conflict. The time frame for consideration of a claim is not regulated and may drag on indefinitely, depending on the complexity of the situation.

How to convert a dispute into a claim on Aliexpress

An aggravated dispute is the transfer of the dispute to the Aliexpress court under the control of a mediator. The decision made by the Aliexpress mediator is final and is not subject to further consideration.

In order to convert a dispute into a claim, you need to click the “Escalate Dispute” button. It becomes available if the seller rejects the buyer's demands. If within 15 days the conflicting parties are unable to reach mutual agreement, the dispute automatically goes to mediators. Once you have converted a dispute into a claim, you will have to be patient. answer all questions from the mediator and, if necessary, provide the required evidence. The process of considering an aggravated dispute occurs according to the principle: “Only the mediator asks questions!” The parties only respond when asked.

Statuses of aggravated dispute

An aggravated dispute can have several statuses:

  • Initial familiarization or clarification of a solution (Processing);
  • Waiting for other party`s response;
  • Waiting my response;
  • Waiting for both party`s response.

During initial review or clarification, the time frame may take from one to several weeks. The response time for seller and buyer is usually limited to 7 business days. Although Aliexpress notifies both parties of the status of an aggravated dispute via email, the buyer is advised to independently monitor the status of the claim. In this case, ignoring cannot be allowed, since if the buyer does not respond within the prescribed period or does not provide the required evidence, the dispute will be closed in favor of the seller.

Monetary compensation is discussed in several stages. At the first stage, the buyer will have to reconsider the seller's offer. To view the proposed compensation amount, click the “View seller solution” button.

You can refuse the offer by clicking the “No Thanks” button. This action will not be reflected in the dispute history. In this case, you will have to wait again for the decision of the Aliexpress mediator. When answering the mediator’s next question, the buyer can provide additional evidence by clicking the “Respond Now” button.

If you accept the seller's decision, the dispute and order will be automatically closed, and the agreed amount will be paid to the buyer within the regulated time frame.

You can view all the actions of both parties in the history of the dispute.

How to cancel an aggravated dispute?

If you decide to cancel an aggravated dispute, click the “CANCEL ARBITRATION” button. After this action, the order will be automatically closed, and the money will be transferred to the seller in full. Please note that re-sending the goods by the seller is not grounds for closing an aggravated dispute, because the final result will be known only after receiving the parcel. The dispute is closed only if the problem is resolved in your favor. For example, you received a parcel delayed in transit, the received product fully corresponds to the characteristics declared by the seller. Re-shipment of the goods is expected without closing the aggravated dispute.

Decision on the claim

A decision in favor of the buyer in case of escalation of a dispute can be made in the following cases:

  • The seller agreed with the buyer's request;
  • The decision on the claim was made by the Aliexpress mediator.

And in the first. and in the second case, the buyer will receive a corresponding notification by email. In your personal account in the “Operations” section, opposite the corresponding order, information about the closed dispute and the amount of compensation will appear. Details of a closed dispute can be viewed by clicking on the “View data” link.

Your order status will also change. If until now the status was “Pending confirmation”, then after the dispute is closed in favor of the buyer with a refund, the status will be “Payment processing”.

You can find out at what stage the refund processing is in the “Payment” tab on the order page. In the “Refund Information” section, the fact of the refund being made and the status of this refund will be indicated. According to Aliexpress regulations, refunds are made within 7-10 business days.

An aggravation of the dispute is the involvement of the Aliexpress administration to resolve the conflict situation between the seller and the buyer. If previously you had to press a special button to do this, without being late, then in 2019 the dispute interface no longer provides for “calling” mediators. A disputed transaction goes into the hands of arbitration automatically if, after a certain time, the parties are unable to reach an amicable agreement.

As you know, the Aliexpress platform does not sell goods itself, but acts as an intermediary between sellers and clients. Until the transaction is closed, the money is in the company’s accounts, and in controversial cases, it is the company that takes on the functions of an arbitrator. It is important to understand that mediators have a lot of work, and they make their decisions based on the information that is at their disposal at the time the dispute escalates. Therefore, if you and the store cannot come to a compromise, be sure to prepare evidence of your case and do not forget to upload it to the dispute form. Later you may not have this opportunity.

You can read, . Let's say you have already opened it and are negotiating with the seller. For example, the phone you bought does not work properly, and you want to get your money back for it, while keeping the purchase. Pay attention to the timer, which shows how many days after your dispute will be processed by Aliexpress.

Typically this period is a week. For 7 days, you and your opponent can make proposals to each other to resolve the conflict, in essence, bargain. Having received an option from the store that does not suit you, you must reject it and, if desired, create a counter one.

Be careful! If you click the “Accept” button, the dispute will end and the transaction will be considered completed. In this case, you can no longer count on a refund.

In our example, the seller does not agree with the claims and believes that the product was sent in working condition. His decision is that there will be no return. At this stage you have 3 options:

  1. Click the “Reject” button and wait for the mediators to join the dispute.
  2. Continue the dialogue if time permits. To do this, click “Reject”, then “Change” - edit your proposal.
  3. Add another solution option (button “Add a decision to return goods and funds”) so that the seller has a choice.

The second party, in turn, can also make you several offers. It is not necessary to agree with them: if you are not satisfied, reject them and wait for arbitration. As soon as the set date arrives, the decision will pass into the hands of the administration.

The entire dialogue with the seller is conducted in the dispute interface, but it will not be available to Aliexpress administrators. If the correspondence contains important information, for example, the seller admitted his guilt, be sure to take a screenshot and attach it as evidence.

Procedure and terms for consideration of an aggravated dispute

As soon as the dispute on Aliexpress escalates, the parties to the conflict can only wait for the verdict. The dispute takes the appropriate status.

How long does this stage last? The approximate time period for a decision on a transaction is set at a week, but in practice it can fluctuate both less and more. If the situation is simple and clear, for example, the client did not receive his package, the return can be approved literally in a matter of hours.

If the administration offers to wait a few days in the hope that the order will still reach the recipient, it does not matter what end date of negotiations is in the description of the dispute. The deal will not be closed automatically on this day; the dispute will continue as usual.

Complex conflicts often drag on for several weeks as opponents begin to change their proposals and upload more and more evidence. In addition, according to the new rules, the verdict of the mediators is not final and irrevocable - the parties have the right to disagree, and the process begins anew. A solution from Aliexpress appears in the dispute interface.

In our case, it is half-hearted: the buyer can keep the product and receive a refund of half its cost. Who needs a broken phone? It is logical that if the dispute does not end there, the person will seek a 100% refund. However, before rejecting the offer, you need to look at the details - go to “Aliexpress Solution Details”.

As you can see, mediators recognize the validity of the claims, but consider only 2 options: either the client receives half the money, or the entire amount, while sending the item back at his own expense. In this case, if the buyer decides to take his part of the money outright, he must accept the offer. If you refuse, the decision will change to an alternative. The parties have 4 days to “think about it”.

Let's say you agree and click "Accept". Aliexpress warns that it will be impossible to cancel this action. To confirm, click the “Submit” button.

For the decision to come into force, the seller's consent is also required. If the opponent accepts this offer, the specified amount will be returned to the buyer in the same way he paid it, within 1 to 15 days. However, the store may not be satisfied with this option, then the dispute will again be dealt with by mediators. The reconsideration is unlikely to last long: Aliexpress will choose one of the previously indicated solutions and forcefully close the dispute.

Conducting an aggravated dispute

To prevent the aggravation of a dispute from leading to the loss of money, you need to take a responsible approach to opening it and providing evidence. Many Aliexpress clients still naively hope that any conflict will always be resolved in their favor. This is no longer the case; the system of secure transactions protects not only buyers, but also sellers from those who like to demand a refund for every reason.

How to behave so as not to lose arbitration on Aliexpress:

  1. When opening a dispute, choose the correct reason for the claim. For example, at some point the track of your parcel stopped being tracked. Then it is better to indicate “Order protection is expiring, but the order is still on the way,” rather than “The track is not tracked,” since the latter option is, in fact, not true. If you think that the product arrived with a manufacturing defect, do not put the reason “damaged” - after all, it only concerns problems that appeared during the shipping process.
  2. Provide evidence, and it must be consistent. If the item turns out to be broken, be sure to take photos and videos of the damaged packaging, the opening process, and ask the postal workers to draw up a report. If the product is intact, but simply does not work, a photo of the package will not help you - it is better to stop trying to turn on your device.
  3. Leave all comments in English, this will greatly facilitate the understanding of your complaints and speed up the resolution of the issue. This applies to both correspondence with the seller and explanations for mediators.
  4. Promptly respond to requests and decisions on behalf of Aliexpress. The faster you respond and provide the necessary information, the sooner you will receive your money. Remember that according to the rules of the dispute, a certain period is given for each reaction. And if you do not respond within the specified period, the administration will regard your inaction as a refusal to further dispute. Link a valid email address to your Aliexpress account to receive all notifications on time.

Communicate politely! Even if you think that the seller is deceiving you, and the administration made an unfair decision, this is not a reason to be rude, much less use obscene language. Try to arm yourself with solid facts and present them without unnecessary emotions.

What to do if you are not satisfied with the solution

If, despite all efforts and evidence, the dispute was decided not in your favor, there is still a chance to correct the situation. Within seven days, you can appeal a closed dispute by filing a complaint with the Aliexpress administration.

  1. In the list of disputes in the “My Aliexpress” section we find the required dispute.
  2. Click the “Submit a complaint” button.
  3. In the questionnaire that opens, we indicate the reason for the new aggravation of the dispute: dissatisfaction with the result of the previous one or with the work of the mediators.
  4. We describe the problem in detail and patiently.
  5. Click on the “Send request” button.
  6. We are waiting for the administration's decision.

If Aliexpress discovers that the review procedure was violated in relation to you or your arguments were ignored, the appeal may be granted.

Is it possible to refuse to continue the dispute? The initiator always has this opportunity: both at the stage of negotiations with the seller, and after an escalation. If your missing package suddenly showed up in the tracking system or you came to a mutually beneficial compromise with the store, the dispute can be closed. The main thing is to understand that this is justified only when there is still time to protect the order or the sender agrees to extend it. If necessary, the dispute can be resumed.

In any case, it is unwise to rely solely on the words of the seller, while Aliexpress has developed and made available to customers a well-functioning system of secure transactions.

The New Year brought new news from the AliExpress administration: the dispute (dispute) in 2017 on this site is now carried out in the interface in a modified form, and the relationship between buyers and sellers has undergone certain changes, which we will consider in our article.

The new rules are characterized by greater orderliness of actions taken by the parties to conflicts, which speeds up the resolution of disputes.

What are the main changes?

Innovations in 2017 in disputes on AliExpress affected the following actions:

  1. You can add, delete and edit videos and photographs confirming your case any number of times at any stage of the controversial procedure.
  2. From now on, you can choose one of two options for resolving the dispute: return funds for the product with or without returning it to the seller.
  3. Neither side can escalate the dispute. This will happen automatically if consensus between the seller and buyer is not reached within 7 calendar days.
  4. The dispute management interface has been greatly simplified.

Step-by-step instructions for handling disputes on AliExpress

The changed procedure for this procedure will simplify the conduct of disputes in 2017. Before opening a dispute on AliExpress, read our recommendations to ensure the conflict is resolved in your favor.

The first visit to the site will attract attention with the updated interface, which has become more convenient and understandable. We recommend conducting a dispute on AliExpress using the following algorithm:

First step. In the “My Orders” list, go to the card that reflects the problematic order and click on the “Open a dispute” link. You will be taken to a form that opens a dispute.

Second step. You will see hints in the form on the right. Click on the “Show more” link to access an updated page containing the official rules for the entire procedure in English.

Here decide on the desired result, that is:

  • Do you want to receive compensation and not return to the seller an item that did not fit;
  • Do you strive to receive full compensation after you send the goods back?

For the first dispute resolution option, select “Return only”, for the second – “Return of goods and money”. In both cases, the following form opens: field 1 – filled in according to your choice. The buyer can change his decision if necessary.

Third step. Enter the amount of the desired compensation, varying between 0.01 cents or 1 ruble (depending on the currency used to pay for the goods or the full cost of the purchase). You cannot claim a higher amount than you paid for the goods.

Fourth step. Go to the next field and detail the reasons for your return request.

Fifth step. Notice the two buttons that appear next. With their help, upload video and photo files and justify the problems that arose with the purchased product. Keep in mind: the reasons for requesting AliExpress for a refund may also change the content of the additional window on the right. If you select the message “Item is damaged” from the list in the “Problem encountered” window, a hint appears in an additional field on how to properly prepare photos uploaded to the system. True, the information is presented in English, but it is a significant help in resolving a conflict issue.

The list of encountered problems does not always contain the same options. In some cases, instead of “Item damaged,” the reason “Damaged” is displayed. When you select it, the photo hint given above is not displayed. Perhaps this can be explained by the fact that different reasons are provided for different categories. On the other hand, the issue may be due to the imperfection of the site.

Sixth step. Please note that all fields contained in the product receipt form must be filled in absolutely. They are marked with red stars. Upload at least one photo or video at once. Then you will have the opportunity to do this (add or delete) countless times and at any stage of the dispute on AliExpress starting in 2017. Photos and videos are allowed not to be uploaded only if you have not received the goods.

Seventh step. After filling out the required fields in the form, click the submit button and go to the dispute page, which looks like this:

New features of dispute management

When you open a completed and submitted dispute page, you will see a progress chart at the top.

Conducting a dispute according to the new rules is distinguished by such an innovation as time intervals. Sellers and buyers are given 7 days to independently resolve disputes. If they do not take advantage of the opportunity provided in a timely manner, then specialists from the administration of the AliExpress site will take over. They are given a week to make a decision. Thus, no more than 14 days are provided for resolving controversial issues between the parties to a trade transaction.

There can be only one exception: when the protection expires, but the goods are still en route. There is a possibility that the buyer will have to wait for the expiration of the allotted delivery period in accordance with the information contained in the card of the disputed goods.

Regarding the question of how to escalate a dispute on AliExpress, it is worth emphasizing the following: The new rules do not give this opportunity to either party. Neither sellers nor buyers voluntarily escalate it.

On the eighth day, exacerbation occurs automatically based on the fact that:

  • the buyer's offer is not accepted by the seller;
  • The buyer does not agree with the seller and his counteroffer.

The consolidation of all evidence into one place provided by the new interface is undoubtedly an additional convenience for users.

If the need arises to edit a dispute, you will not need to download the files again. Adding evidence or removing unnecessary ones is available at any time.

Changes are made to “My Decision” and affect the buyer’s terms and conditions for refunds. By clicking the change button, you can change the parameters for returning or not returning the goods to the seller, the compensation amount, as well as comments on the controversial procedure.

Using the “Add Solution” button, you can offer the seller alternative options for resolving the conflict.

In other words, if you initially chose the “Return funds only” solution, then when you add an alternative option, the system will offer you the “Return goods and money” solution. You fill out the “Refund Amount” and “Comments” fields yourself.

The innovations did not affect the cancellation of disputes at any time.

Resumption of a canceled dispute is possible if protection is in effect (taking into account an additional 15-day period from the moment of receipt of the ordered goods or automatic closing of the order according to the established delivery timer).

What could be the cause of the dispute and its evidence?

In a dispute, consistency should be observed between the reasons for the dispute and the evidence provided. If you indicate one reason, but the posted photo and video materials show completely different ones, then mediators can make a formal decision about the buyer’s unfounded claims. The result will be your loss.

Write and attach materials only on the merits of the dispute being opened:

  • When, in response to a seller’s request, a reason is given that does not correspond to the real situation, then if it escalates, this will give grounds for mediators to expose him as a fraudster and resolve the dispute not in his favor.
  • If there is at least one status of the goods being in transit, the track number is considered to be working. If you stop tracking at some stage, you must wait until the delivery deadline has passed and select the reason: “Order protection expires while the parcel is in transit.”
  • When the received device does not work, you cannot select the "Damaged Item" reason as it indicates damage in transit. In the latter case, film the process of unpacking the goods, record the condition and quality of the package for transportation.

Why is it better to write in English?

According to the rules that were in force before this year’s innovations, when opening disputes, it was possible to write comments on them only in English. Not all Russian-speaking buyers found this convenient. Now you can write in Russian, but remember that not all sellers speak it.

They either do not understand the reasons for the dispute, or pretend that they do not understand. Using an automatic translator does not always bring the desired result. In the end, the Russian text is ignored and the argument is lost.

So it follows that it is better to have a much greater chance of winning the dispute.

Innovations about AliExpress mediator solutions

Innovations in 2017 indicate that the decision of mediators is not the final point in the dispute. It is considered only a proposal to help resolve it. The buyer can reject it by offering new evidence and arguments.

Mediators may offer one or two solutions. In the latter case, you can choose the option that suits you best, or reject both. Sellers act similarly: they accept or reject moderator decisions, and, if necessary, provide new evidence.

When the buyer accepts the decision of the AliExpress team, this does not mean the dispute is closed. The seller is given some time to challenge the decision and to consider new evidence, if any is presented. Taking them into account, a new solution may be proposed that will replace the previous one, even if it has already been adopted by the parties to the dispute.

Once consensus is reached, the dispute is closed; the solution and comment are indicated. A notification is sent to the buyer’s email with a detailed explanation of the result of the dispute.

If you win the dispute, you will automatically receive money to the account that was used for payment.

This process takes about two weeks. The refund amount is indicated in the “Payment” tab.